Electioneering is picking up in 18 constituencies which are going to polls in the first phase on November 12 in Chhattisgarh.

Top leaders of both the BJP and Congress are visiting Bastar today to canvass support for their candidates.

Our correspondent reports that a massive security cover is in place as more than a dozen constituencies in this region are Maoist affected.

With just two days left for the campaigning for the first phase of assembly elections, candidates, as well as senior leaders of various parties, are wooing the electorates.

National leaders of both the BJP and the Congress are flying in to Bastar to canvass support for their respective party candidates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address an election rally at Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar today.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will hold five rallies in various constituencies of Bastar and Rajnandgaon for two days from today.

He would also take out a roadshow in Rajnandgaon district headquarters while campaigning for Late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece Karuna Shukla, who is contesting against Chief Minister Raman Singh.